Death Toll From Pakistani Earthquake Hits 208

A powerful earthquake which struck on Tuesday evening (September 24) has left hundreds dead in the remote Baluchistan province in Pakistan and has also caused a small island to emerge just off the coastline in the Arabian Sea, near the epicentre in the district of Awaran.

Geo TV, a private Pakistani broadcaster, on Wednesday (September 25) aired still photos of the island and video images of people on the beach looking out to sea at the newly emerged land mass. They also broadcast what appeared to be aerial pictures of the small, crescent-shaped island.

Officials said the death toll from the quake had risen to at least 208 after hundreds of mud houses collapsed on people in the remote area near Pakistan's border with Iran.

The army deployed helicopters and hundreds of soldiers to help deal with the rescue effort in the huge, earthquake-prone province of deserts and rugged mountains bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake was 7.8 in magnitude.